Bll Rossey, Borough Manager, Tarentum

Bill Rossey knows Tarentum very well. He not only was born and raised here, but has spent his life in the community. Every day he leaves his East Second Avenue home and takes a walk around the community. When he sees Borough signs or property in need of repair, he alerts the street department to make them aware of the particular need. Like a farmer walking his land and checking if everything is o.k., Bill has a pride in his community. He believes by setting an example others will do the same. Today, as the new Borough Manager, he is doing just that. “There are so many places in Tarentum that have been let go,” he said, “we have to change the way it [the Borough] is perceived”.

A year ago Bill under took the biggest initiative of his life – revitalization of Tarentum. He believes the time has come to change the way it is and bring back a community pride. He held a meeting with local business owners to discuss the new Mall coming into the area. A second meeting was held with major business and property owners to ask them what would they like to see happen in the Borough. That was followed recently by a survey sent to 2,500 local citizens asking them what would they like to see in the community and what are the major assets of Tarentum. Out of that came a town meeting where more than a hundred citizens showed up. A series of volunteer committees are now being formed to address revitalization of Tarentum. Some of these committees are public safety, historical, demographics, finance and taxation, zoning, and land use and preservation.

Bill has always had an interest and passion about his hometown. After attending Tarentum High School and graduating from the newly merged Highlands High School, he started work in roofing and at a supermarket. Eventually he worked his way up in the supermarket becoming a manager and spending 20 years there before moving to Blackburn’s as head of the service department for the last eleven years. Several evenings a week he works a second job helping a close friend at his business. That’s who Bill is, a man whose interest is in serving others.

He not only has invested his life in local employment, but also in other community interests. He instituted the T Ball League, became a coach and was President of the Tarentum-Brackenridge League for three years. He became a fire fighter with the Highland Hose Company and has 30 years service, including serving as President, Vice President and Secretary at various times. He began attending Borough Council meetings not too long ago that led to further interest in doing more for the community.

Several years ago he began to consider running for Mayor, but his neighbor Jim Wolfe has been Mayor for over 20 years and he didn’t want to run against him. At the encouragement of friends, though, he ran for Councilperson from Ward 1. “I didn’t have time before, but now I do,” Bill said. He won the election and joined the seven-member Council two years ago. Now half way through his first four-year term, Bill said, “I’ve had a real education”. That education has led to him being appointed the Borough Manager just last month.

Bill may be learning a lot about local government, but he also has been proactive initiating a number of changes that have been endorsed. The community revitalization initiative is on top of his agenda, but there has been no grass growing under his feet these past two years. He not only walks all around the community, he is actively considering what can be done to help. “I felt there were a lot of things that needed to be addressed,” he stated. Among these were setting up job descriptions for borough positions, developing a mission and vision statement, and working on reviewing ordinances and how these fit today’s needs.

He is also concerned about the local fire departments. As a firefighter with 30 years service he is intimately familiar with how these departments are struggling with recruiting new firefighters and aged equipment.

Bill’s background in supermarket management has given him skills that are now working for the community. Those years taught him multi-tasking, dealing with literally hundreds of different products, purchasing, human resources, scheduling and accounting. Above all, a supermarket manager must keep their store ‘up to snuff’, as they say.

New Borough signs

Bill’s philosophy is, in his words, “the things we can take care of right now, cleaning and fixing up . . .” will help restore pride in the community. One step has been setting up new signs at the six entrances of the Borough. Business were solicited to pay for these and granted permission to place their name on the sign. All six were sold. With the money earned from the signs 75 banners were purchased and hung up throughout the community. And, true to Bill’s nature, he was up in the truck bucket putting the banners up.

Bill has other suggestions for the community. One is to map the community by dividing it into four quadrants identifying every property. Another is to consider building a new borough center that would house the borough’s offices, public safety, and a recreational-community center. He would like to consider developing a green (environmental friendly) community in the future.

There is a lot of interest in Bill’s initiatives and suggestions for Tarentum. In addition to local citizens, the governor’s office, the local state senator, the state representative and congressional representative have all expressed a willingness to help Tarentum in its revitalization efforts. Bill is bringing energy to the table that is awakening others to step in and help. There are approximately 30 citizen volunteers that have indicated their willingness to chair and serve on committees, and that is only the beginning.

Bill stated he hopes to live to see a real revitalization of the community. Interestingly, he is a history buff on Tarentum having collected local memorabilia for years. He has over 200 postcards from the 1900 era and a variety of other memorabilia that is beginning to crowd his home. He says his wife (he married his high school sweetheart, June Humphries, 32 years ago) is beginning to mention the high number of historical items in the house.

Bill Rossey is a people person and is interested in any community citizen that would like to talk with him about revitalization and other community interests. He said you may call him at 724-226-3571 or e-mail him at bill.tarentum@verizon.net.

Watch a video interview with Bill Rossey at:

Visit Borough of Tarentum online at: http://www.tarentumboroughpa.gov/home_nav.htm

See Tarentum’s statistics at: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/munimap/profile.asp?muni=112, and, http://www.city-data.com/city/Tarentum-Pennsylvania.html

More on Tarentum at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarentum,_Pennsylvania